Mt. Etna Triggers 4.8-Magnitude Earthquake on Sicily

Antonio Parrinello/Reuters

At least 10 people were injured and dozens of buildings were damaged in Sicily when a 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook the city of Catania. The area, with a population of more than 300,000, has been hit by more than 1,000 tremors over the last few days as Mt. Etna started a new eruptive phase from a relatively new crater on the southeast side of the volcano. Dark gray ash covered villages along the volcano’s flanks. Residents who live on the active side of the mountain were told to leave their homes on Christmas Day. Catania’s airport has been closed as the massive ash cloud shifts. Etna is Europe’s tallest and most active volcano and is in a near-constant state of eruption. The nearby island of Stromboli also started a new phase of volcanic activity, which is common when Etna erupts.